SAN FRANCISCO, June 02, (THEWILL) – Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has denied the allegation linking him to double registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) on the voters’ portal.
THEWILL recalls that INEC’s National Commissioner, Solomon Soyebi, had accused the governor of registering twice as a voter; first in Abuja in January, 2011 and on May 23, 2017 at the Government House in Lokoja.
Speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, the governor described the allegation as frivolous saying he was on a short break in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate, when the news broke.
He warned INEC to desist from dragging his name into the mud over the matter.
“I traveled to Dubai for a brief break on May 19 and I saw the press release. I was taken aback when I heard the report that I did double registration on May 23,” he said.
“Probably it was my ghost that did the double registration. I think INEC has earned itself a very high reputation and I am very confident that the leadership of INEC will not allow some elements in INEC to drag the name of the Commission into the mud.
Surely that’s a falsehood, I did not do double registration of permanent voters’ card.”
He however said he would not join issues with critics of his administration, such as Senator Dino Melaye, Senator representing Kogi West, saying he would only respond when human beings are talking.
“Honestly speaking when a human being is talking, then I will respond. Surely I don’t see anything coming out of that and I don’t think I have to waste my time in responding to whatever I consider as side distraction.
“Honestly speaking I am too focused to be distracted.
“Kogi State has suffered for over 25 years before I came on board and the good people of Kogi State are really appreciative of the efforts we are putting forward to make sure that Kogi State is well developed.
“So any side distraction is not something I should give attention.”
